Dungeons & Dialectics

So now that we've got all that boring sh*t out of the way, how can resurrection make your game better... or WORSE? Find out on this episode of Dungeons & Dialectics how to use resurrection in your game, and hear Matt's mouth watering review of the ham recipe shared in the previous episode's description.

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Sources:

Mercer, Matt. "The Fading Spirit - Alternative Resurrection Rules." Twitter, 24 Jan. 2017.

Ry. "The Game Inside D&D. EN World. 4 Sept. 2007.

Spiderweb Software

Wyatt, James, et al. Heroes of Horror. Seattle, Wizards of the Coast, 2005, pp. 78-80.

Try Matt's Easter Ham as featured on Dungeons & Dialectics. You don't need the body or blood of Christ when you have this delicious Hawaiian Style Ham!

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Matt spits on the Bible as he dares to suggest the Epic of Gilgamesh might be superior to the Word of God! BLASPHEMER! But don't worry, Joe sets him straight as we explore the ways our idea of God has changed over time. Was God always the good guy? Was Satan always the bad guy? Who was the serpent in the Garden of Eden? Does Joe know what "dialectical" means??? The answers to your most pressing questions await in this bonus episode on Prometheus and the Devil!

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Sources:

Genesis 2:4-3:24

Hesiod. Trans. by Evelyn-White. "Theogony". 1914.

Kovacs, Maureen. "Epic of Gilgamesh". 1998.

Pagels, Elaine. The Origin of Satan. 1995.

Rogers, R.W. "Adapa and the Food of Life". 1912.

Two weeks ago, Matt and Joe explored the Christian alarmism around Dungeons & Dragons during the 80s, but WAIT! Could it be that these brave heroes fighting the evils of tabletop RPGs might be... the REAL DEMONS THEMSELVES??? Find out today as Matt and Joe examine the theology of the early game and analyze the Satanic Panic from the theological framework of Walter Wink's The Powers that Be.CW: suicide

Keep in touch on Twitter and support us on Patreon for extended episodes!

Sources:

60 Minutes. Dungeons & Dragons. 1985.

Chick, Jack. Dark Dungeons. 1984.

Christoyannopoulos, Alexandre. "A Christian Anarchist Critique of Violence: From Turning the Other Cheek to a Rejection of the State". 2010.

Dear, William. Dungeon Master: The Disappearance of James Dallas Egbert III. 1984.

Ewalt, David. Of Dice and Men. 2013.

Laycock, Joseph. Dangerous Games What the Moral Panic over Role-Playing Games Says about Play, Religion, and Imagined Worlds. 2015.

Leithart and Grant. "A Christian Response to Dungeons & Dragons: The Catechism of the New Age". 1987.

Peterson, Jon. Playing at the World. 2022.

Wink, Walter. The Powers That Be. 1999.

What could be worse than mass incarceration? Mass incarceration with no games >:( Join Matt and Joe as we touch on the spectre of the Satanic Panic and the ways law enforcement enshrined anti-tabletop roleplaying game sentiment into their policies while our country continues to allow mass shootings with little to no meaningful gun control.

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Sources:

de Kleer, Elizabeth. Dragons in the Department of Corrections. 2016.

The 80s. With rampant homophobia, the war on drugs looming imminent on the horizon, and a rising neoliberal world order, a brave few have the courage to stand up to the greatest threat to the youth of the U.S of A: Dungeons, Dragons, and Satan. Join a generation of sh*tty parents in their crusade to deflect all blame onto a game, and listen as the church, the police, and the news media joins the fight.

CW: suicide

Keep in touch on Twitter and support us on Patreon for extended episodes!

Sources:

60 Minutes. Dungeons & Dragons. 1985.

Chick, Jack. Dark Dungeons. 1984.

Christoyannopoulos, Alexandre. "A Christian Anarchist Critique of Violence: From Turning the Other Cheek to a Rejection of the State". 2010.

Dear, William. Dungeon Master: The Disappearance of James Dallas Egbert III. 1984.

Ewalt, David. Of Dice and Men. 2013.

Laycock, Joseph. Dangerous Games What the Moral Panic over Role-Playing Games Says about Play, Religion, and Imagined Worlds. 2015.

Leithart and Grant. "A Christian Response to Dungeons & Dragons: The Catechism of the New Age". 1987.

Peterson, Jon. Playing at the World. 2022.

Wink, Walter. The Powers That Be. 1999.

We're back with more from the illustrious Kevin Wong! Buckle up for a deep dive into the ways social issues manifest in games. Can they? SHOULD THEY? How can I get these politics out of my video games???

Keep in touch on Twitter and support us on Patreon for extended episodes!

Further Reading:

Dear Future Me

Games and Playable Media Alumni News. "GPM Alumni Spotlight: Reed, Class of 2021". 2021.

The New Games Movement

Ray, Steven. "Genetic QWOP: Evolving a Bipedal Gait in a Two-Dimensional World".  2013.

De Koven, Bernie. The Well-Played Game. 1978.

Our FIRST EVER INTERVIEW with game designer extraordinaire Kevin Wong! Strap in as Matt, Joe, and Kevin dive into a conversation about what tabletop games and video games can teach one another, how we can build narratives together, and why Kevin is the worst D&D player we've ever met (and why that's a good thing).

Keep in touch on Twitter and support us on Patreon for extended episodes!

Further Reading:

Dear Future Me

Games and Playable Media Alumni News. "GPM Alumni Spotlight: Reed, Class of 2021". 2021.

The New Games Movement

Ray, Steven. "Genetic QWOP: Evolving a Bipedal Gait in a Two-Dimensional World".  2013.

De Koven, Bernie. The Well-Played Game. 1978.

Spend your Valentine's Day listening to our worst bonus episode yet! Does love belong in the game? Does it belong in yours? Does it belong in the Marvel Cinematic Universe??? Listen as Matt and Joe stumble through what passes for content as they show what NOT to do when incorporating love and romance at the table.

Listen to the end for some classy philosophy pickup lines and show your own with us on Twitter!

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Or DOES IT???

Alignment can be a useful starting point, but Matt and Joe are here to uncover the ways additional nuance can help us breathe new life into our characters. This episode finally answers your most pressing questions:

Where does alignment even come from? How can we use more varied questions to make characters that feel more real and fulfilling? Why do we suck the fun out of everything and replace it with philosophy?

Keep in touch on Twitter and support us on Patreon for extended episodes!

Sources:

Playing at the World

Anderson, Poul. Three Hearts and Three Lions. 1953.

Gygax, Gary & Arneson, Dave. Dungeons & Dragons. 1974.

Holmes, Eric J. Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set. 1977.

Netflix. Tiger King. 2020.

Tolkien, J. R. R. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. 1954-1955.

Tolkien, J. R. R. & Tolkien, Christopher. the Silmarillion. 1977.

Wells, H. G. The Island of Doctor Moreau. 1896.